The Cyberabad Police has rescued as many as 541 children as part of ‘Operation Muskaan’ in the last one month, the highest number recorded across the State, officials said here on Monday. As many as 247 cases were registered. Nine special teams, led by Women and Child Safety Wing DCP C Anasuya, rescued the 541 children of whom 58 were girls.

According to the Cyberabad Police, 62 children were handed over to their families, while 479 were lodged in rescue homes. Out of the 541 children, 338 were from other States. While 43 children were rescued from the streets, 426 were rescued from child labour, 39 from begging and 33 from rag-picking.

Speaking about the operation, Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said use of technology by rescue teams in the form of Facial Recognition App on the TS Cop app as well as DARPAN helped in a major way in rescuing these children.

“A database is being developed on repeat incidents involving children in child labour. They will be monitored further with the help of departments concerned,” Sajjanar said.

In one incident, 15 children were rescued from Sri Rama Spinning Mill in Medchal. They belonged to Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam. In another, 10 children were rescued from metal industries in Mailardevpally and six children were rescued from a plastic company in Kattedan.

“We also rescued three children who were affected with HIV from begging. As their parents died, they were taken care of by their relatives who forced them into begging. They were not given food if they failed to make Rs 1,500 a day,” the Commissioner said, adding that these children travelled by Metro Rail to different places for begging.